Turning Bianca
by PH2W
Summary: When Chris' girlfriend needs help to stay on the side of good he enlist the help of his entire family... Get to know what makes the 2nd generation of Halliwells tick.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **

"Charmed" and all related characters and events are the property of the WB television network, except for those characters specifically created for this story. This is a work of fan fiction and no infringement of copyright is intended.

**Author's Note:**

This is another of the original stories running around in my cranium. There will be one or two original characters, but if you've read my stuff you know I lean toward the family drama side with Piper, Leo, Chris, & Wyatt. If you take the time to read and enjoy it please review it for me. If you take the time and don't enjoy it please tell me why.

………………………………………………………………………………………….

He rushed to get Bianca out of her house. Having no real place to take her he orbed them into Golden Gate Park. There was a beautiful garden near the entrance across from Ghirardelli Square. It was a favorite spot of theirs and they needed that right now to think.

When she had called him from the back alley of her apartment building Bianca had been hysterical. He could barely make out everything she was saying but he had gotten the essence of her tone… GET HERE NOW!!!

They had been sitting on this bench for the last ten minutes in absolute silence. He didn't want to push but his mother would go major postal on him if he didn't pick his sister up on time again. She had hinted as much when he got assigned pick-up detail this morning at breakfast. It wasn't that he meant to forget about Mel, but she really wasn't the first thing on his mind when he got busy. Today had to be the exception though, Piper was clear on that.

"Baby you have to tell me what happened." Chris gently shrugged her head off his shoulder. "Was there an attack?"

"Only if you consider your mother forcing you into a life of murderous death an attack," Bianca was audible, but just barely. She was truly rattled even though she and Chris knew this would be coming maybe not today, but soon indeed.

"Explain?" Chris was firmly pushing for the whole story and for her to continue further.

"I walked in on some type of coven meeting that was planning my initiation." At this point Bianca had moved off of Chris completely and was sitting sideways in order to face him. Gone were her tears and the look in her eyes was replaced by a fierce and fiery glare.

"Your what?"

"My mother has been preparing to take me on my first kill for a while. I've been putting her off with school and work and anything else I can think of."

"So what changed?" Chris inquired taking hold of his girlfriend's hands to keep them from shaking as violently as they were.

"She found out about you!"

Chris was on his feet at that proclamation and virtually pulled her up with him as he asked, "Are you kidding me? I gotta warn my family…."

"No! She doesn't know about you specifically," she responded making every attempt at putting him back into a seated position, "just that a guy is in my life. Her theory is if I have time for him I have time for, for… that."

"So, you just left? She's going to look for you. You know that, right? If she scrys for you and comes up with me they'll be hell to pay. We need to get to the manor. My mom and aunts will have a better idea of what to do, because hanging out in the park can't be the best solution to this problem. Besides we have to give them a heads up. If trouble is brewing and could possibly end up on their doorstep I owe them a first account explanation as to why."

"Anyone home," Chris came through the door like a hurricane, Bianca trailing behind him and the door slamming in chorus with his yells.

He zipped through the living room, cut across the family room into the conservatory, the dinning room and finally the kitchen. He grabbed Bianca's hand and orbed to the attic. As soon as they took form and he eyed Phoebe and Paige he inquired accusingly, "Didn't you guys hear me?"

His aunts were huddled over the book and Phoebe was writing down potion ingredients. Paige looked up and slammed the book closed almost severing three of her older sister's fingers.

"Hey! Watch it missy. Who's this?" Phoebe demanded as she came from behind the book's podium and took a defensive posture next to Paige as they viewed the stranger amongst them with a great deal of suspicion.

Chris went into protection mood and assumed a stance of guardian by pulling Bianca behind him slightly as though he were concerned that one of his aunts would suddenly attack someone just for showing up without notice. He stood starring at his aunts unsure of what to say next.

"Chris?" Paige's eyes finished her question for her.

"This is my girlfriend." He let go of her hand and slipped his arm around her waist to move her into an introductory posture. "Bianca these are my aunts, Paige and Phoebe."

They were pretty much dumbfounded. When did Chris get a girlfriend? Maybe they were out of the loop, but it would be extremely unlike their sister to leave out a detail like that. Phoebe was mentally tucking away a Q & A session to be completed at a later time. Paige's look indicated she wanted answers now.

To the sisters he asked, "Where's mom?" His words were clipped in a rushed and hurried manner as if he were still running.

"Piper's with Leo they're kind of in the middle of something." Paige was deliberately being vague. "You guys aren't just leisure orbing are you?" Years of being a Charmed One hadn't completely jaded her, but it made her highly cautious and Paige was automatically suspicious.

Dropping Bianca's hand and slapping his palms on his upper thighs Chris started moving forward toward his aunts speaking a perceptible, but lowered tone. "Look some danger might be stirring up and heading our way… soon! I need to give mom a heads up before she finds out from someone else or worst still after it's too late to change anything. We need your help."

"Chris we're sort of in the middle of our own little crisis. There are innocents involved and some nasty upper level…."

"Paige!" Phoebe yelled to stop her sister from saying the "D" word. She didn't think Chris' girlfriend needed to hear about demons on her first visit to the manor, if this was her first visit. Phoebe had taken notice that she did seem to know about his magic.

"…demons." Bianca finished Paige's sentence.

So much for maintaining discretion Phoebe thought. Chris could tell his aunts were stunned and very concerned with Bianca's knowledge.

"Stop worrying," he said, "we don't have any secrets."

"But apparently you have a plethora of secrets from us." Paige accused.

At that moment Leo and Piper materialized and barely took notice of the energy in the room let alone the extra people. Piper approached first. "I hope that potion is ready because they are right on our heels."

They being Horde Demons who collected the powers and bodies of powerful up and coming witches. An alarm from the Elders had sounded after more than twenty witches had been attacked, the last five in the San Francisco area. These witches were new to their magic and powers and had little control or practice in being able to protect themselves.

"We got a little side tracked with your son's…um, guest." Paige gestured toward Chris and the raven hair girl she had only moments before learned was his girlfriend.

"It has to keep! Phoebe get it finished. Chris," Piper turned to her son and hoped her voice and eyes conveyed more meaning than her words, "take your friend downstairs and don't come up no matter what you hear."

He was, like everyone else, paralyzed by his mother's tone. "GO!" She yelled.

They started moving to exit the room just as Phoebe turned around and asserted, "done."

She capped the potion vile and passed the others around to her sisters. Leo stood off prepared to heal should the need arise. Chris and Bianca were barely down the hall of the second level when they heard a loud crash, Bianca screamed and coward against the wall nearest the bathroom.

"Come on," Chris pulled her up. "We'll hang out in here until their done."

They took off down the hall to his room, which was the farthest down the hall from the attic stairs. Meanwhile back upstairs the group of Horde Minions poured into the attic. The Charmed Ones would have to keep battling the group unless they could get to the leader. They had learned this from fighting Kazi and Swarm demons in the past.

Piper was blowing them up left and right and her sisters were doing their best to slow them down. Finally with him losing so many minions the "King" shimmered in prepared to do battle. But so were the sisters.

"Phoebe get over here!"

"I'm a little surrounded at the moment." In mid-air kick Phoebe was coming down and hollering at her sisters a few feet away from her.

Paige immediately grabbed her older sister's hand and in a blue blinking of light they were gone. The Horde King and his minions were briefly stunned. As the girls reappeared at Phoebe's side Piper spat the words in the demons face, "you all must be getting dumber. Did you really think we just bailed and what left her behind?"

"No matter," the King roared, "killing one or three it's all sport to me! You don't have the power to finish this."

For a moment the girls wore the same dumbstruck look the demons had minutes earlier. Of course they could vanquish him. Separately they each reflected on the kick-ass potion and spell they had in their arsenal.

"Now," Paige shrieked. One after another the girls threw their potions. So close it seemed like a continuous motion. The only problem was he seemed to not be affected at all. It was as if he had been drenched in tap water instead of a toxic concoction of orange sludge that had simmered for hours and should have left nothing but an immensely weakened form soon to become a scorch mark and distant memory.

"Start the spell," Piper grabbed Paige and Phoebe's hands and they began to chant….

_**Greedy demon that you are**_

_**Taking things from near and far**_

_**End this terror here tonight**_

_**Stop your reign of fear and fright.**_

All that was left was another charred and ruined Persian rug.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

"So do you think we should go check on them?"

"You're kidding right. Not the best way to get my mom to do things for you… not following her orders and all."

"Oh, sorry."

Just then the house phone rang and Chris popped into the hallway to pick up the cordless he was supposed to share with Wyatt and Mel.

"Hello… Oh, okay… I'm sorry… please don't… Lindy, I'm on my way. Yes now! Chill, I said I was coming… Fine!"

"What's the problem?"

"I forgot my sister _again_. Who knows what she'll make me do so she doesn't rat me out to my mom. She's sitting at school with a ticked off orchestra teacher who offered to drop her off at the local precinct. Not cool."

"Wow."

"Look I'm gonna just orb. My mom hates it but I don't have time for conventional transport right now. If anyone asks, I ran out for a minute."

"You're leaving me? I don't think so."

"You'll be fine. I have to go. Just stay in this room."

Chris left and Bianca closed his door and hoped for the best, that being his family having no reason to seek them out in the next ten minutes or so.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

When Chris got to the high school his sister was sitting on the steps alone. He didn't know where the teacher was, but he was grateful to not have to explain how he got across town so quickly. Not that she would be any happier.

Melinda Marrin Halliwell, it would have been Prudence if only Phoebe hadn't had a daughter first, hated the idea of magic and would never use it for ordinary task. She wanted nothing to do with it and denied any connection to it unless absolutely forced into confrontation, which so far had not happened. She wouldn't want to orb home and she'd protest the whole way.

When she was born things at the Manor were finally calm. Every Halliwell had settled into their "normal" life and besides Wyatt none of the second generation had come into any immense powers. Melinda was aware of her brothers and their special gifts, but she also saw the kind of trouble it got them into at times. Then there was the fact that they always had to trot off to magic school to learn one thing or another. She liked hanging around with her mom and her cousins and friends. So when Melinda noticed that she was able to do a few things subconsciously she did her best to ignore it and she didn't tell anyone. She didn't want to practice or get better at it she just wanted it to go away.

But when she hadn't displayed any magic by her twelfth birthday her folks began to worry. They took her to meet the Elders at magic school; they did all types of spells and she was the subject of much of the pillow talk between then and her thirteenth birthday. She, however, held onto the truth she'd created… that she hadn't come into her powers yet.

Finally, her parents let it go. They didn't hide magic from her and made sure she knew the magic she descended from, but they refused to make her practice if she wasn't ready, so long as there wasn't a need. Melinda wasn't sure if they suspected the truth or not, but, she figured as long as it wasn't hurting anyone she could remain magic free.

As a fifteen year old sophomore at Baker High Melinda was an A student who played the violin; was on the swim team; the debate team; and wrote for the school paper. She had plans on being a journalist just like her aunt Phoebe. She adored her family and even though things on the magical front had heated up somewhat she was still able to stay out of it and that made her tremendously happy. Her only problems were the two six foot giants that lived down the hall from her who never seemed to give magic a rest.

"Let's go squirt." Chris was the ever present big brother. He put her through the entire typical little sister hell including calling her names. Of course if pressed he'd say it was all in fun, but the way he tended to forget her everywhere she wasn't always so sure.

"Whatever. You're a half hour late. Does mom know?" She could play the typical little sister role pretty well herself.

"No, and you're not telling her." Chris reached for her instrument case and grabbed her hand to help her up from the steps.

"Where's the car Chris?" She got a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"We're riding the orbs today kiddo. Something came up and it was this or the trip to the precinct." He started pulling her toward the back of the building.

"Great trap me in your personal gain consequences. Nice."

"Don't start with me okay. I'll make it up to you I promise."

"Why are you being so accommodating?" Melinda was no fool she figured if he was being this nice there had to be a reason. And of course there was and she was waiting back in his room with no time to spare.

"Keep talking and I'll change my mind. Next time you need a date chauffeured around think, your choice could be me or dad. I am the lesser of two 'evils'."

They ducked behind the main building and reformed in Melinda's room. Not being thankful on any level she didn't utter two words to Chris and slammed the door as he exited the room.

On the other side of the door all the fun was just heating up.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **

_"Charmed" and all related characters and events are the property of the WB television network, except for those characters specifically created for this story. This is a work of fan fiction and no infringement of copyright is intended._

**Author's Note:**

_**Pleas note that I am making Bianca's age closer to Chris' for story purposes. I am fully aware that this deviates from the show, as will many details; it is not a continuity issue. **_

_This is another of the original stories running around in my cranium. There will be one or two original characters, but if you've read my stuff you know I lean toward the family drama side with Piper, Leo, Chris, & Wyatt. If you take the time to read and enjoy it please review it for me. If you take the time and don't enjoy it please tell me why._

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Chris was slinking his way down the hall past the bathroom to get to his room. He just had to get inside before anyone came down from the attic. Things sounded quiet and he knew if their demon was already vanquished then his aunts had filled his parents in and he was positive someone had heard Melinda slam that door.

"Freeze lover-boy." Piper had her son in her crosshairs. Standing by her bedroom door she couldn't tell if he was creeping to or from someplace.

He was trying to come up with something plausible to tell his mother because if she got wind of things the wrong way she would go on a tear that would last for hours. And he honestly didn't know if they had that kind of time.

"Hey, mom, is everything under control up there?" Chris had turned around to face her, but still made no move to go to her.

"Oh yeah, demon-wise things are settled, for now. Your aunts shared some interesting facts with your dad and me though before they left. When did you get a girlfriend and since when do we share our family secrets with outside people? Come here. I'm not going to shout this conversation down the hallway." Walking back into her room Piper didn't have to turn around to know that her son was right behind her.

"Mom, I know what you're going to say. I'm sorry this is the first everyone is hearing about or meeting Bianca, but I had my reasons for keeping it a secret." He had plopped down on the bench in front of her bed and watched as she paced non-stop in front of him. This was her lecture stance and if Bianca wasn't sweating it out down the hall he wouldn't dare interrupt the pending tirade.

"Chris you know better than to orb people in the house unannounced. What's gotten into you? You could have put that poor girl at risk. More than magical secrets were at stake up there. You are not a kid anymore. You're nineteen and smart enough and trained enough to know better."

The sisters had agreed long ago that they wouldn't do to their children what had been done to them. No one's powers would be bound, but serious rules, protocols and consequences for magic had been put in place and every second generation Halliwell could quote them chapter and verse. Chris' actions spat in the face of all she had tried to instill in him.

"Can I tell my side please?"

"You don't have a side in this. If you broke the trust then what's done is done and we may all suffer the consequences." She shut him down caustically.

"Mom we don't have time for this." Piper stopped short mid-pace and glared at her middle child. "It's just that Bianca's in trouble and we need your help. I told her you would help."

Chris' voice went all gentle and pleading and Piper softened a little. "You shouldn't make promises that I may not be able to keep." The break in her diatribe lasted all of ten seconds until she saw her daughter standing in the doorway.

"Is he in here putting yet another spin on why he left me this time? Or telling you why we had to orb home?" Melinda was in a full fledge pout now and was playing it for all the attention she could get. Plus if her mom nailed her brother to the wall in the process all the better.

"What?!" Piper's energy was kicked right back up. She turned on her son and venomously looked at him. "There better be more good explanations for this too."

Not even looking at his sister Chris threw up his hand and said, "Thanks a lot brat."

"Alright, put the breaks on, one crisis at a time. Mel, go start dinner for me please… just get the salad done. And I'll deal with this later. I'm sure your brother's sorry." She suggested eyes boring into Chris.

"Yes, Melinda, in case the three times I said it before didn't register… I am sorry." There wasn't an ounce of sincerity in his voice.

"Mom the only reason…." Piper held her hand up and halted him mid-stream.

"Take me to meet Bianca." This was a little easier then he thought it would be. Only he hadn't had a chance to tell her the most important part of his news, that Bianca was a witch too.

They walked down the hall and Chris opened his door to find Bianca splayed across his bed obviously having fallen asleep. He stood there next to his mother willing this awkward moment to go away.

"My, she doesn't look that stressed out over her looming troubles." Piper kept looking from her son to the girl. What the hell was she supposed to make of this? She was about to get her answer in the form of a rising Bianca.

"Oh, my God, I must have fallen asleep." Bianca jumped up from the bed. Great she thought what every mother wants to find a girl sleeping in her son's bed. "I'm really sorry. This is…."

"Relax. Something tells me this isn't the worse thing I'm going to see or hear in the next hour or so. We should go downstairs. I'll meet you in the conservatory." With that she walked away and headed down to put together some snacks, check on her daughter and wait to hear what trouble this girl was about to drop in their laps.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

They nervously awaited Piper's return. Bianca checked her cell phone and her mother had called her a half a dozen times. If she didn't start answering she knew her mother would start scrying. And no good would come of that confrontation because she knew her mother wouldn't be anywhere near as gracious as Piper Halliwell was being.

Crossing in from the dinning room Piper directed her first comments to her son. "You seriously have to make things right with your sister. This forgetting to pick her up is giving her a complex and you're the only one to make it right."

"Mom, I can't deal with Lindy's issues right now. She needs…."

"She needs to know that her brother loves her and isn't forgetting her on purpose. I'm not saying to run in and do it now, but make sure that it happens. She just needs reassuring, it's why she stomps around pouting and stirring up trouble for you all the time." Piper sat down and placed the tray of iced-tea and cookies on the table. Chris and Bianca sat on the wicker loveseat and Piper got comfortable in the chair.

"Before we tell you what the problem is we need to tell you who Bianca is." Chris leaned in and looked his mom square in the eyes. "Mom, Bianca is a witch. It's why I didn't have to hide who I was from her. She knows all about magic and all about the Charmed Ones."

Piper attempted to process all of this information. When Paige and Phoebe told her and Leo about this girl they knew the name was no coincidence. Chris hadn't retained any conscious memories from his little jaunt to past, but they had all kept there's. And this twenty-something raven hair docile beauty before her was still the girl who had held an athame to her throat so she could take her son back to his then murderous older brother. She had no idea what to do with this information. Certainly now was not the time to be blurting out unlimited and unfiltered truth to either one of them. The possibility of Chris' past life catching up with his present was still out there, but she wasn't going to force that revelation.

Remaining calm and neutral, Piper inquired, "So what is this big problem that needed my immediate attention.

Bianca picked up the story. "Have you ever heard of the Phoenix?"

Piper wanted to scream yes you murdering little witch, but refrained. It seemed Bianca didn't have memory of the alternate timeline now either. Piper thought how nice that must be, but she also knew that either of them could have their memories catch up at an unexpected time and it could be devastating. "No. Who or what are they."

"_We_ are a family of assassin witches, descendents from a line that dates back to the witch trials, who are elite, very powerful and born with the distinctive birthmark of the Phoenix, symbolizing their rise from Salem's ashes. They have no allegiance other than to seek their vengeance and they will seek out and kill any bounty they're hired to bring down." Bianca let the information flow from her mouth without stopping for a breath and when she was done it all just hung in the air like a heavy suffocating blanket.

"Leo!!!" There was no way Piper was going to deal with this alone. She had to give the girl credit though she hadn't skimmed on any of the ugly details. This version of Bianca was slightly smoother around the edges, but no less forthright.

Leo's orbs entered the room and he took in the scene before he addressed anyone. Going to his wife's side he asked, "What's going on?"

"This is Bianca… Chris' girlfriend and she just told me all about her family. Believe me you're gonna want to sit down for this one."

Leo took the other chair across from his wife and Bianca explained it all to him in the same succinct rapid fire way she had only moments before. But what she added made them both sit a little straighter and focus in on this new information.

"I don't… I can't join them. I've been avoiding being brought into the fold for years, but my twenty-first birthday is next month and the coven is planning my initiation. They're planning to take me on my first kill. And I won't do it. I just won't!"

Chris put his arm around her and addressed his parents. "This is why we came to you. Bianca walked in on the meeting and freaked out. She called me and I brought her straight to you. Her mother knows about me, well she knows about a guy she's seeing, but we've been gone a few hours now and we think she may come looking. She needs help to get out of this. I didn't know what else to do." He was pleading with his folks to help. Knowing it was an impossible situation he just hoped they would have some idea of what to do next.

"The first thing we have to do is buy you time. You have to do what you can to get your mom off your trail at least for a little while. Can you do that honey?" Piper actually felt sorry for this girl. She wasn't sure why, but she could tell how much Chris cared for her and she seemed truly frightened at the possibility of joining the family business.

"I think so. I just need to call her. That should keep her from scrying for me and finding me in the house of a Charmed One." Bianca took out her cell phone and walked to the opposite end of the conservatory to make her call. Piper gestured for Leo to follow her into the living room.

"What do you think? Can we trust her? The last time either of us laid eyes on this girl she was _one_ of those deadly assassins and she didn't seem to mind the job." Piper hadn't completely let go of her first impression of this girl from years ago.

"Things have changed though. We both know that. This is an innocent, for all intent and purposes, and she's seeking our help. I don't think we can turn our backs on her." Leo would always try to see the good in a person.

"I have to call my sisters, because if this blows up in our faces it could affect everyone."

"You do that and I'm going to check some things at Magic School. We may be able to help and without revealing ourselves to her mother." He kissed his wife and orbed out of the house.

Piper didn't believe for a second that this would go that smoothly at all. "Chris."

"Yes mom," he called from Bianca's side. She had just hung up with her mother, who wasn't happy, but did seem understanding enough about Bianca needing time to process. She was understanding because her daughter had left out a great many details and had shinned her on letting her believe that there was a possibility that she'd come around. She accepted that she was staying at a friend's and didn't pry for more details. They were both breathing a sigh of relief when Piper called him. Now they just had to get her to agree to let Bianca stay at the Manor for a few days.

"Tell your sister to set another place for dinner." Chris darted into the room and threw his arms around his mother. He wanted her help, but until just now wasn't sure she'd go for it all.

"Thanks mom. I wasn't sure…" Chris was cute off mid-sentence.

"Don't get your hopes up. Right now it's just dinner and talking. I can't make you any promises and certainly not before I speak with Paige and Phoebe. I think a coven of assassin witches might be something they want to weigh in on."

Chris thought to himself that now was when things got really complicated. His mom and aunts met on all things magical even though they didn't live together and had totally separate lives for the most part. Bianca staying at the Manor would have to go before committee. And Chris knew it wouldn't be easy. Piper went upstairs to call her sisters and Chris went back into the conservatory to Bianca. Dinner wouldn't be for another hour or so and all they could do until then was wait.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **

_"Charmed" and all related characters and events are the property of the WB television network, except for those characters specifically created for this story. This is a work of fan fiction and no infringement of copyright is intended._

**Author's Note:**

_**Please note that I am making Bianca's age closer to Chris' for story purposes. I am fully aware that this deviates from the show, as will many details; it is not a continuity issue. **_

_This is another of the original stories running around in my cranium. There will be one or two original characters, but if you've read my stuff you know I lean toward the family drama side with Piper, Leo, Chris, & Wyatt. If you take the time to read and enjoy it please review it for me. If you take the time and don't enjoy it please tell me why._

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Piper spun around on her heels so fast she almost lost her balance. As her younger son's orbs settled he reached out his arms to brace her.

"Should I just remove the steps all together? Then we can all orb around and pretend that 'silly' notion of personal gain has no bearing on our lives."

"Sorry mom." Chris had landed directly in front of his parent's bedroom door attempting to block her path in order to delay her call to his aunts. "I had to ask you something before you spoke to Phoebe or Paige."

Cocking her head to the side she stared at her son with an exasperating glare. "What now?"

"Don't say it like that. It's a small detail. Bianca told her mom that she needed this week to think and her mom agreed. She said she was staying with a friend and would be home tomorrow to pick some things up. The only problem is that Bianca doesn't have many… any friends she could stay with, even for a couple of days."

Piper looked up at her son and began to chuckle. "So, let me guess what your next request is going to be… mom can't she stay with us? How am I doing?"

"Pretty good," Chris said sheepishly. "Mom I know it's a lot, but I swear it's the last thing. Where will she go? You can't put her out on the street!"

"Lower your voice. Chris we are not running a home for wayward witches. Now I'm drawing a line. The answer is no."

"Can't I plead my case?"

"No. Where would she stay Chris? Did you forget about the tall blonde that already shares your room? Not to mention I think taking in a killer witch is… well… suicidal." Piper was losing her patience and she hated feeling this way or lashing out at any of her children. But there was absolutely no way this would work. She couldn't even entertain the idea.

"I want to bring it up at a family meeting after dinner then. It's a magical problem… sort of and that means a meeting can be called and a majority rule can override an arbitrary decision."

"This isn't arbitrary and this is _my_ house. You didn't really think I'd agree to let your girlfriend, who I met all of an hour ago, shack up with you in your room. Assassin blood not withstanding." Piper was rubbing her temples and Chris had his shoulders rounded and head hung low in a submissive and obedient fashion even though he knew that would be the last thing he'd be if ultimately his mom did say no.

"Of course she wouldn't stay in my room. I figured she could bunk with Melinda. It's just for a week. You could get to know her better."

Finally she pushed her son out of her way and entered her room. She couldn't stop laughing. "And you think Mel is going to agree with this scheme? Do the words FAT CHANCE mean anything to you?"

Piper picked up the phone receiver and looked at Chris hard. "Go downstairs and make sure they don't destroy my kitchen. I'm calling my sisters, unless you forgot to tell me anything else."

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Chris ran downstairs to the kitchen and just hoped against hope that things would work themselves out. His mom was acting strange and even more obsessive protective than usual. For some reason she held on to him so tight. Sure he knew, it seemed from day one, that Wyatt was more powerful but he was no slouch in the power department either. Although he could handle himself completely she always seemed to hold her breath around him. Like she was afraid that one wrong move and he'd shatter into a million pieces. She didn't even treat Melinda that way, and she refused to use magic. Well, he would have to convince her that he could deal with whatever was coming and help protect Bianca.

As he rounded the corner and went into the kitchen he couldn't believe what he saw. Melinda and Bianca were laughing and tossing things into a salad bowl. All types of linen were out to set the dinning room table and one of them had started making a fresh pitcher of tea.

"You guys are having way too much fun." Chris said walking over to Bianca and leaning over her shoulder to pick a tomato out of the bowl.

Bianca shooed him and his sister added… "We don't know where your hands have been!"

"Very funny Lindy," Chris chided and went to the fridge to see what his mom had taken out to prepare. He spotted the chicken on the bottom shelf and pulled it out. Helping with this could only add to his points with his mom, so he was glad it was a dish he could do something with. Chris had acquired his mother's skills in the kitchen for both recipes and potions. Wyatt didn't have the attention span for cooking and Melinda refused to be domesticated. Anything that made her seem to girlie she rejected wholly. She only helped out when it was part of her "chores" and she treated it exactly as such.

"Okay you two I'm going to get this started for mom and I need you to set the table and clean up this mess. Oh and leave out some extra settings something tells me Aunt Phoebe and Aunt Paige may be coming for dinner."

"Cool. Why?" Mel rarely took things at face value.

"Because mom wants them to… that's why."

"Come on Lindy…."

Melinda's body tensed and she turned back in the kitchen doorway to address Bianca, overly sweet smile plastered on her face. "Please don't call me that. It's Mel or Melinda. Chris is the _only_ one that calls me Lindy." With that all of the joviality that had been in the room seemed to be vacuumed out and Melinda walked pass Bianca into the dinning room calling over her shoulder, "well are you helping or not?"

Chris shrugged his shoulders and rolled his eyes letting them leave without another comment.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Back in the attic Paige had orbed in Phoebe and they were sitting at the table with Piper endeavoring to come up with a solution. They truly wanted Leo to be right about Bianca, but they couldn't let go of all they knew about her.

Paige played devils advocate. "Maybe we should sit them down and tell them. Armed with knowledge their decisions could be different."

Phoebe leaned on the side of chance. "Let her stay and play it out. If she's lying or things aren't above board then at least she's here. If he runs off someplace with her we could be leaving them both vulnerable."

Piper, when it came to Chris especially, always opted on the side of caution. "I am not going to pull the rug from under his life with all of that information. What if he can't handle it and just… I don't know… cracks up?"

Grabbing her big sister's hand Phoebe said, "I don't think he's that fragile sweetie. You have to trust him a little bit more than that. I know you worry but he's a big boy."

"Phoebe do not patronize me. I know exactly how old he is and I know what could happen if all of those memories converge with his life now. Look he still has nightmares every now and then. Leo and I reassure him, calm him, and then the next morning he barely remembers the incidents. If those memories can wreak havoc on his subconscious what do you think they would do to his conscious mind. No, telling him is definitely out of the question."

Paige weighed in again. "So if telling them is off the table, for now, then I think Pheebs is right keeping her here gives us more control over the situation. I know you hate it. I'm not thrilled about it either. I mean the twins spend a lot of time here too, but what other choices do we have."

"So I just give in and let Chris' girlfriend move in." Piper was shifting in her resolve and was none-to-happy about it.

"You said yourself that it was temporary. And we'll simply have to do all we can to demon proof the house while she's here. In case her mother found her tale less than plausible." Phoebe was on feet now.

"Honey we have to go. But Coop will be home tonight and so will Henry, so we'll come back after dinner and go through the motions of a family meeting and then let them know what we decided."

They hugged their sister and left her at the table thinking about how this could all possibly play out or backfire.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Wyatt came through the front door and saw his sister setting the table with an amazingly gorgeous raven haired girl that frankly looked too old for high school. He shed his jacket and dropped everything on the alcove seat in the entrance knowing full well if his mother came down and saw it she'd pitch a fit. With his long legs and rapid stride Wyatt was at the table in few steps.

He snatched a place mat from his sister and whacked her on the head with it saying, "What's up Mellow-Yellow?" She hated that nickname and most of the others he came up with on the fly.

She yanked the mat back. "And you're the oldest. We have company jolly blonde giant."

"Hi, I'm Mel's big brother Wyatt. And who might you be?" Wyatt threw the charm into high gear. He just hoped she was eighteen. He was never really hurting for a date, but Wyatt hated trying to date at the hospital the woman there were way too serious. Having fun with them was like getting through compulsory exams… just painful!

Extending her hand to him their guest replied, "I'm Bianca, Chris' girlfriend."

Wyatt's jaw nearly hit the floor. How was it that Chris had a girlfriend and one this hot he thought. His brother had many things going for him, but rarely did he use any of them to his advantage or to pick up women as stunning as this. The boy must be learning a thing or two from sharing a room with me Wyatt figured and gave him self a mental pat on the back.

"Reel it in big brother she's taken. Besides, you and Chris have never been good at sharing." Melinda said and sauntered back into the kitchen. She figured now was a good time to get Chris, because knowing her womanizing oldest brother he'd have Bianca torn by the end of dinner.

"Who just came in Lindy?" Chris asked when Mel walked in.

"Wyatt, so you better make an appearance before he and Bianca are headed out to dinner and you're left… holding that chicken." Melinda walked out and passed through the dinning room to go get dressed for dinner. She could hear Wyatt and Bianca laughing as she reached the top landing.

Chris loved his brother, but the pre-med magic school grad student gave womanizing a bad name. Wyatt Matthew Halliwell went through woman the way his family went through potions… too fast! He headed out of the kitchen with a dish towel on his shoulder prepared to put a stop to whatever flirtation his brother was using.

"Hey bro you're home early. Mom didn't say she was expecting you. You didn't have to put in any time at the hospital tonight?"

"Why Chris are you trying to get rid of me?" Wyatt was being purposefully glib.

Chris snatched the dish towel off his shoulder and started twisting it in his hand. Walking over to Bianca he extended to grab her hand. "I see you met Wy. My extraordinary brother sometimes forgets to let the other person talk." To Wyatt he said, "No I'm not trying to get rid of you. Actually we're gonna need your help tonight. I've called a family meeting." With that Chris led Bianca back into the kitchen.

Wyatt had no idea what was going on, but he suspected if Chris was the one who "called" this meeting then it must BIG!!! With that he took off after his sibling.

"What meeting Chirs? Chris?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **

_"Charmed" and all related characters and events are the property of the WB television network, except for those characters specifically created for this story. This is a work of fan fiction and no infringement of copyright is intended._

**Author's Note:**

_**Please note that I am making Bianca's age closer to Chris' for story purposes. I am fully aware that this deviates from the show, as will many details; it is not a continuity issue. **_

_This is another of the original stories running around in my cranium. There will be one or two original characters, but if you've read my stuff you know I lean toward the family drama side with Piper, Leo, Chris, & Wyatt. If you take the time to read and enjoy it please review it for me. If you take the time and don't enjoy it please tell me why._

…………………………………………………………………………

Chris wasn't sure why everyone was having such a hard time talking to Bianca, but this was the rudest he'd ever seen his mom with company… even of the demonic variety. The only one other than him speaking directly to her was Wyatt and it was apparent it was for all the wrong reasons. Amazingly enough Bianca was taking it all in stride. Because what Chris didn't know was that most of the time it was just her and her mom and sometimes she'd just be by herself or with her great aunt Hannah. She loved the hustle and bustle of the Halliwell Manor and all its occupants.

"So what are you majoring in at UCSF?" Melinda wanted to know.

Bianca swung around to face her after answering Phoebe's last question. "Right now communications, I'm hoping to get into the broadcasting division when I'm an upperclassman."

"That's really very interesting dear, but I'm more curious about how you met Chris and how you two got so close." Piper couldn't keep her venomous tongue under control.

"Mom," Chris was mortified to say the least.

"What? I'm just making conversation." Piper replied.

Leo intervened in the hope of distracting his wife, who was like a dog with a bone, from "grilling" Bianca, "Chris why don't you guys clear the table for mom and bring desert into the conservatory for everyone."

Chris, Wyatt, Bianca and Melinda began doing the dinner table clearing two-step. When Melinda passed, her dad subtly pulled her down toward him to whisper in her ear, "sweetie would you mind loading the dishwasher and having desert upstairs we need to discuss some things with your brothers."

Melinda just shook her head and hastily exited the room. Whenever she got dismissed from family gatherings it was because they were going to discuss or act on something to do with magic. And as far as Melinda was concerned, MAGIC was a "four" letter world. She never had any use for it, she didn't want to study it or get better at it and she kept as far a distance from it for as long as she could remember. Tonight would not be an exception, as far as she was concerned desert in her room in front of the television sounded perfect. There was a curiosity swelling in the pit of her stomach, where her brothers were involved though, because those two always had trouble hovering above them waiting to drop a "load" on anyone in the vicinity.

………………………………………………………………

Sitting in the conservatory was the Halliwell brain-trust. Speaking in hushed tones Piper filled Leo in on the plan, which she was not thrilled about, that would help them keep an eye on Bianca and hopefully prevent her from ever becoming a full fledge Phoenix.

"So, Paige believes that even in a worse case scenario if we let her stay we will have more control over the situation. But he's just 19 and I don't want him "living" with his girlfriend. I feel like we're setting ourselves up for everything to come out. He's not ready… I'm not ready." Piper was appealing to the room even though she knew there really were no other options.

Chris and Bianca carried in a tray of coffee and his mom's dessert with Wyatt in tow empty handed. As they entered the conservatory all discussion ceased and every brow was wrinkled in deep concentration.

Wyatt wouldn't allow the silence for long.

"So, little brother, what's this all about?"

"I asked mom if Bianca could stay with us for a few days…"

Piper interjected, "a week!"

"And she said no, so I asked for an it-concerns-magic family meeting."

"Chris why does her staying here concern magic? What does she know about magic and us for that matter?" Wyatt was becoming increasingly uneasy about this girl and her reasons for being there.

Chris looked to his mom and then dad for answers, but Piper's displeasure for the situation was overshadowing her inherent quest to quell her son's discomfort. "Well, Chris this is your meeting and your situation… you need to explain it to your brother."

"Mom!"

Piper silently turned a deaf ear to his plea for support. Chris knew Wyatt and he were close and that his brother loved him unconditionally and supported Chris in nearly every way, except when they disagreed on things magical. Then, Wyatt became the ever pressing all knowing Twice-Blessed big brother and could and would lay down the law as quickly as his parents. He had to choose his words carefully to ensure Wyatt remained on his side.

Chris motioned for Bianca to take a seat and proceeded to speak directly to his brother, seeing as everyone else in the room already knew most of what he was about to say.

"Look, Wy, Bianca is a witch by heredity. She doesn't practice magic and doesn't want to practice. Her family has a different plan for her. They want to force her into practice."

Wyatt interrupted his brother with some questions. "Why does staying here help her? Shouldn't she be at magic school learning to understand her powers and not to fear them?" Wyatt was a TA/graduate student at Magic School, who like his father fully believed in a young witch's magical education. They believed their teachings were part of what kept good witches in the fold.

"Bianca wouldn't be accepted at Magic School. She's a legacy of dark magic." Chris stopped speaking in order to let the weight of what he said sink in.

Wyatt took to his feet and stood at his full postured 6'4" frame and faced his brother, "you mean she's evil? Well then, meeting adjourned! There is nothing left to talk about Chris. Sure she's hot, but not worth dying over."

It was as though Chris had become possessed at the speaking of those words. He drew back his hand and landed a punch squarely on Wyatt's jaw, then without a bit of recovery used his left hand and socked him in the gut. "Go to hell Wyatt! No one speaks about Bianca that way, not even you."

"Chris!" Voices rose in unison from Bianca, Piper, Phoebe and Paige.

Leo was on his feet and between his sons in seconds. He knew if Wyatt retaliated it could destroy the brother's relationship. Piper and Bianca both went to Chris. Piper held her younger sons wrist with all her might to keep him from throwing another punch. Slowly both men retreated and dropped their heads. Hitting and turning on each other was a strict no-no in the Halliwell-Wyatt household. Even the merest of sibling rivalries wasn't tolerated. They had both been grounded for weeks after their last brawl in high school and even though they were 19 and 21 they didn't doubt their mother's ability to wield the same type of punishment today. Wyatt had made snide comments about Chris' girlfriends before and he never "defended" their honor so vehemently. As for Chris after the gravity of his actions settled in he was ashamed at his own behavior. Hitting his brother, especially in front of his mom, was reckless at best.

"I'm sorry Wyatt." Chris' tone was both contrite and sincere.

"I shouldn't have made that last comment. It was unnecessary." Turning to Bianca he continued… "I meant what I said about not protecting evil, but I had no right to make a personal attack."

A collective sigh moved across the room. Piper and Leo both, since his twenty-first birthday, gave Wyatt plenty of magical say so, but it was clearly time to reel him in and to play the parents again.

"It's time for an executive decision. Chris your father and aunts and I have decided to let Bianca stay at the Manor, with a lot of conditions. Wyatt, I'm sorry, but the fact that she doesn't want to use her powers for evil has to count for something. We aren't looking for trouble by doing this, but hope to prevent future trouble by keeping her good."

Bianca and Chris both got wide eyed and could hardly contain their jubilation. Chris did refrain from running to embrace Bianca, gloating would seem petty and he was certain it would not be received well.

Phoebe could, of course, feel their entire emotions pass by her and wanted to scream to break the connection. Was that a hint of lust in the air too? Oh, hell no! "Let's remember those conditions people before we kick up our heels in celebration.

"And the first one is that your sister has to agree to let Bianca share her room." Paige rounded out the glass of ice-water being thrown on their inner happy dance.

Wyatt wanted to be gracious in defeat, but couldn't marshal enough sincerity in his voice. "I'm going to Magic School. We need to find out all we can about our houseguest plus it's my turn to rotate in the boy's dorm." With that he orbed out without looking at his brother at all. Inside he knew they would work it out on their own later. Leo stood to orb after him, but Piper put her hand out and stopped him. Her sons needed the cooling off time.

Calling for Melinda, Piper was wishing she had the power of empathy or telepathy. There were so many rampant emotions in the room that she figured it would take a least a few hours to talk through them all. Chris and Bianca had slinked off to the furthest corner in the room and Piper really wanted to hear this exchange, but instead she would have to listen to the griping and negotiating that would go on between brother and sister. Who knew what Melinda would ask for, but being her mother Piper knew she wouldn't make it easy on him. She practically came sliding into the room.

"Slow down… what kind of entrance was that?" He father asked.

"I'm in the middle of watching my show. What's up?" Her question wasn't directed to any one single occupant in the room, but to the population at large.

"Your brother has a favor to ask you." Piper gestured toward Chris causing him to step slightly forward to face this newest obstacle.

"Easy enough then… NO! Anything else I can do for you?" No one in the room had an appreciation for the smart mouth remark, especially her mother, evident by the "stink-eye" she was giving her at the moment.

"Lindy please, this is serious. Bianca needs a place to stay this week and obviously she can't stay in my room. It's just a week, and I'm willing to pay out in services or whatever else you want." Everything about her brother's tone reflected all the groveling he was willing to do, but just as she was committed to enjoying it Bianca took over in the begging department and it just wasn't in Melinda's nature to play "hard-ball" with someone in need that wasn't her brother.

"Melinda, you are truly the only thing standing between me and a future not riddled with deat…"

Piper cut in immediately. She wasn't about to tell her 15 year-old daughter all about Bianca's sordid family legacy and she wanted their new guest to get the message loud and clear. "A future not riddled with difficult decisions that have to be made before she's ready."

"Right, 'cause that sounded exactly like what she said." Melinda wasn't willing to give her mother the satisfaction of thinking she had truly controlled the flow of information. "Balls in your court big brother," Melinda taunted knowing full well her brother would like nothing more than to strangle her right now.

Gritting his teeth Chris responded, "What do I have to do?"

"For starters, I'm looking for unlimited car service… minus the attitude and complaining, plus use of your closet when I want, and maybe a driving lesson and breakfast in bed." Melinda had been ticking items off on her hands, but was concentrating now on her big ticket items.

Chris' eyes got as big saucers and Leo, uncharacteristically, stepped in to reel back his daughters demands. "Alright, that's enough young lady. This is serious and not the time for putting the screws to your brother. It is your room and we're asking as a courtesy, but don't push it."

Melinda started laughing and Phoebe smiled behind her hand as she looked on. The art of sibling torture had not been lost on this second generation of Halliwell children.

"Look, Bianca is cool. I'm not thrilled with the idea, but whatever's necessary to end this, for now," she shot at her brother. "Besides, I didn't see any luggage so I assume this will be temporary. Am I done here?"

Bianca was more than grateful. She was unsure of the exchange she had just witnessed, but didn't need and explanation since it resulted in her getting a respite from her family troubles. Hugging seemed appropriate in light of the Halliwell's generosity, but Melinda froze in the embrace and hastily recoiled and returned upstairs.

"I didn't mean to make her uncomfortable I just wanted to thank her."

Phoebe made the kindest move that anyone had all evening by going up to their young guest and putting an arm around her saying, "its fine honey. Melinda just isn't the hugging type, especially with strangers, but after this week I suppose none of us will be able to call you that."

Piper felt like she was suffocating under the "pillow" of all this false familiarity. Somehow she had to put the normalcy back into her Wednesday night. They had been avoiding some very real complications to their little plan. Like what they would do when Bianca's mother found out the truth, and she would, because the girl had no belongings to speak of at Halliwell Manor and somehow they would have to go and get them. Piper wondered how vanquishing a future "in-law" fit into the grand design.

"Bianca do you have any ideas how we can get some of your things, without alerting the entire Phoenix coven?" Piper inquired.

"She can just borrow something..." Chris' flow was broken as he heard his brother's call for him. He was under attack. "I gotta go, Wyatt needs me!" And with that he orbed out and left his family and his girlfriend with nothing but questions and decisions to be made.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **

_"Charmed" and all related characters and events are the property of the WB television network, except for those characters specifically created for this story. This is a work of fan fiction and no infringement of copyright is intended._

**Author's Note:**

**Well, now that Binks has her way into the house will she prove friend or foe? What drama did Chris run off to help Wyatt with and how will Piper survive living under the same roof as the Bianca knowing & keeping all those secrets? These questions and others answered on this "episode" of ****Turning Bianca!**

…………………………………………………………………………

"Dude, magic school? I was expecting to show up in some demon's lair. What's going on?" Chris had shown up to help his brother, but didn't expect to land in the boy's dorm.

Wyatt was up to his elbows in teenage boys who were leaping all over the halls trying to catch frogs. This was no escaped pet situation this was downright biblical. "Chris, I need someone, I can trust, to find me a reversal spell or to come up with a new one to get rid of this and a handful of other plagues."

"Plagues? As in leapt straight from the old testament plagues, are you kidding me?" Chris couldn't believe his ears and was timorous about what other plagues were roaming the hallway.

Wyatt lunged at the door to the third floor laundry room and attempted to apprehend a zealous amphibian. This was insanity and he knew the best thing to do was call his dad or Paige to deal with the little hormonal miscreants who started all this, but instead he forced that thought out of his mind and committed to fixing this problem on his own. If Leo was ever going to trust him enough to take on more responsibility he had to prove he could handle… _anything_!

Finally, holding on to his latest captive with a vice grip, he answered his brother's question. "My guess is this started as a game of one-up-man-ship. They went to see a movie tonight that talked about these biblical plagues and someone thought it'd be funny to conjure one up. The boys decided to kick the game up a notch by conjuring their plague in the girl's dorm… You'll find locust roaming the halls over there. Then the girls retaliated with the frogs and when Holly called me a few minutes ago rumor had it that one of the girls on the second floor had found a boil.

Chris was howling. This was the funniest thing he could never have imagined. Wyatt did not see the humor in the evening events. "Boils? That is outrageous, but it will put them in the magic school history books for sure. Our pranks were never this good."

"It's not funny Chris. Dad and Paige depend on me to keep order in the dorms, to make sure exactly this kind of thing doesn't' happen. What am I going to do? Holly is at the girl's dorm trying to contain things, but I'm not about to ask her to lie to Paige in the morning. This needs to be a distant memory and funny anecdote by the time they get here in the morning."

Noticing that his brother was in true distress over the situation Chris let his laughter dissipate and started gathering frogs as quickly as he could. The boys on the third floor had gotten buckets, laundry bags and shoe boxes to keep the hoppers in until something could be done about them. He was putting his hands up to try and freeze them when Wyatt reached out and grabbed his wrist. He was pulling them to Chris' side.

"Don't! That was my first move… trying to freeze them or blow them up only makes them multiply. Go figure! We're just gathering them up and keeping them in the laundry room. Whatever we come up with has to get rid of all the plagues at once the same way they were conjured."

"Do you know exactly who said the spells and the exact wording? I'm going to need that to do any reversals."

"Holly has Meredith Spring in Paige's office and, he hasn't owned up completely yet, but I think Noah David is the culprit in this building. He's in dad's office." Wyatt answered his cell phone as he pulled the laundry room door shut again. Chris backed out of his way and listened in on the side of the phone call he could hear trying to decode the rest while moving toward his dad's office.

"Good keep them in there…No, that could take all night! We just have to contain this and if we don't nail everyone involved take it as a loss…I'm not! I just need tonight. Let me and Chris figure this out… yeah, about fifteen minutes. I don't think healing is going to work... no I've never had them! I'm not! I'm not. I'm sure they're very miserable. I'm going to get him from Leo's office right now. Fine, I'll meet you in the Great Room." Wyatt flipped his phone shut so loudly Chris was surprised the screen didn't crack. He knew what he was about to say would not lessen his brother's tension. As they reached Leo's office Chris stopped his brother from opening the door.

"I know this is a really bad time, but I gotta bail on ya bro. I can come back, but I thought you were being attacked so I left with a lot of flair and zero explanation which means that mom is going out of her mind, not to mention Bianca and the sisters. I have to go back and explain. Any longer and they'll be gathering a Wiccan posse."

Wyatt leaned on the door. He knew Chris was right, but that left him an able mind short and he didn't need that now.

"How soon can you get back?"

"We'll I should probably wait till they're asleep. I can't just go to the attic and start mixing potions without invoking a little suspicion. Look, squeeze those delinquents for answers and gather as much information and supplies as you can for a potion. I'll get back as soon as I can."

Chris started to orb out when Wyatt called his name. He reformed exactly where he was an annoyed look plastered across his dark features.

"Make sure dad and Aunt Paige stay far away from here. No matter what it takes! I have enough disappointing news to tell him and mom without adding this to the mix."

"So, you're what asking me to 'crawl under the bus' for you. They just came through in a major way dude; I'm not lying to cover your butt, especially when I don't know why, so what'cha hiding from the folks big brother?" Chris' annoyance had been quickly replaced with the mirth a sibling gets when he realizes he isn't the biggest screw up for the day.

"Not important now, besides you'll find out soon enough. I just need you to keep them away from here for the night. Can you do that?"

"I guess, but you owe me big time." And with that Chris orbed out to the Manor while Wyatt entered his father's office with none of his dad's strength or wisdom. Wyatt found it hard to come off as the "adult" in charge when just a few years ago he would have found this prank exceedingly funny.

"Where the hell have you been?" Piper didn't even let his orbs settle before she started with the inquisition.

"Hi to you too. I was helping Wyatt with a charge. No big deal I was strictly back-up and it was completely unnecessary. So, did you all figure out how to get Bianca's things?" Chris was dodging his mother's question and glare. Piper wasn't having it tonight though.

"Yeah, that's vague. What charge and where? Your brother can usually handle things on his own and you, mister, left here downright panicked." She was right on his heels now as Chris tried to move around the room.

"Christopher!"

He turned on his heels and stopped cold. "Mom, everything is fine. There's nothing to worry about so chill okay. It only took so long because we were talking after things settled. I came right back just so I could put your mind at ease." Smooth as ever Piper's baby boy went in for a hug. She responded in kind, but put her questions on a "shelf" for later. "Sorry we worried you."

"You better be sorry." She released him from her embrace and informed him what the collective had decided. "You and Bianca will make your morning class and then she'll go to her place and get her things. Her mom should be at work."

"Who's going with her? What if something happens to her? I'm not sending her into a group of assassins alone." The fear was rising in his voice and Chris' eyes pleaded with his gathered family members.

Bianca moved to her boyfriend's side and laid a reassuring hand on his arm. "Chris I'll be fine. My mother isn't a danger to me, but you and I both know she will flip if she finds me with you or worse still a Charmed One. It's best for me to go it alone."

Chris was having none of it, "no."

Paige and Phoebe had been standing on the side in a strictly observing posture, but Phoebe went to calm Chris before he said something she knew he would regret. "Honey what would make you feel more comfortable with this situation?"

"If I went with her," folding his arms across his chest displayed strength he wasn't feeling.

"Not going to happen!" Piper on the other hand was feeling and embracing her strength.

"Piper what if there was a way to please everyone, at least a little." Paige was the youngest, but could often be the voice of compromise and reason.

"I'm listening, but let me say this I feel I've made all the concessions I'm going to for one night." Piper flopped into the wicker chair in front of the double doors in the conservatory.

"We could send Leo. He's a white lighter, he can orb, it's not like anyone would be expecting him and it will keep Chris and us out of the line of fire." Awaiting her big sister's approval always felt the same to Paige… like she was fifteen and in the principals office.

"Leo?"

Chris and Piper were watching him for his non-verbal response before any words left his mouth. They were both mildly mollified and when he agreed it seemed as though this night would finally come to a close.

"I'll meet you on campus at noon." As always he was calm and reassuring, exactly what everyone needed.

Paige offered to orb Phoebe home and she'd come back for her car tomorrow. Coop and the girls were at home and she had taken much longer then intended. Whenever he was left alone with his teenage daughters for too long Coop told Phoebe he felt like he was sitting on a question time bomb and he never liked dealing with, what he called, 'things you should talk about with your mom' stuff.

For Paige it was the exact opposite. Henry respected her magical lifestyle and work and was well suited to keeping the mortal home fires burning bright. He was adept at dinner, homework, bills, cleaning and all the mundane and still found time to be an attentive and exciting husband and lover. Just thinking about him always put a smile on her face. At times she felt less then her sisters for having married a mortal, but things were tough with a dual magic household and Henry kept her grounded in all the normalcy she had grown up with before she found out she was a Charmed One.

As Piper turned off lights and headed upstairs she glimpsed Chris and Bianca snuggled up on the sofa in the parlor. Everything about tonight was running around in her head and she couldn't shake the feeling that this was the calm before the storm. She was supposed to have at least four years before his twenty-third birthday and the unveiling of the truth. The nightmares were bad enough, but with Bianca in the picture already she was sure bits and pieces would be surfacing from his subconscious more and more each day. Things had turned out different then they would have before Chris' trip to the past. Wyatt was good, the boys were closer than ever, they had Melinda and she had lived past her son's fourteenth birthday. She just hoped her luck held out and that this Bianca too was a changed woman. Because if she wasn't Piper had every intention on getting rid of her before any permanent damage could be done.

"Good night guys don't stay up too late. Chris make sure everything is off down here when you go up please." Piper walked behind them and kissed her son on the top of his head. "I love you. Bianca I'll make sure Mel leaves something out for you to sleep in and wear for tomorrow."

"Night mom. Love you more and thanks."

"Thank you Piper."

"So, I didn't think we'd be living together yet did you?" Bianca was sitting curled up in Chris' arm with her head on his shoulder. She was kidding but deep down a part of her was excited at the thought of seeing him in the morning with bed hair and in his pajama bottoms.

"Don't let my mom hear you say that. She's already suspicious. And did you see the look Phoebe gave us. She's a powerful empath we are going to have to keep our "feelings" in check around her or she'll have mom putting a lock on my door." They both started laughing at that image.

"With her on hallway watch anyone of us could get blown to kingdom come."

"Look I have to tell you something and I don't want you to get angry or worried, but things with Wyatt didn't exactly get handled the way I told the family. He's still in a bind I needed to wait for everyone to bed down before I left again."

"Why'd you think that would make me angry? He's your brother, do what you have to do. Is it dangerous?"

"No, just ridiculous. I'll explain it all to you tomorrow on the way to class. I'll be perfectly safe, unless my folks find out so let's do the 'goodnight' thing and this way I'll be able to sneak out sooner rather than later.

They got up from the sofa and Bianca walked around with Chris while he checked all the doors and lights in the conservatory and dinning room. When they got to the top of the stairs he grabbed her hand and walked her the fifty feet to Melinda's door. It was closed as usual and after a few knocks the door swung open and Melinda stood on the other side looking more inviting then anyone would have suspected.

"Well, are ya coming in or what?"

"Thanks for walking me to my door." Bianca pulled gently from Chris' grasp and he leaned his six foot one inch frame down to kiss her.

"Night."

"Yeah, yeah, we're going to bed not off to war. See you in morning 'lover boy' and with that Mel closed the door. Chris used his powers to push it ajar again and screamed through the door.

"Goodnight Lindy."

The door slammed with a little more force this time and Chris moved quietly down the hall to his own room to pull the door shut. If his mom saw that she would just assume he was asleep. Creeping back down the hall he headed to the attic stairs and ran smack into his mother.

"Why are you going to the attic?"

"Mom? I thought you were in bed already…"

"Nope. So, what's going on now?" Putting her hand on his shoulder Piper turned her son away from the stairs and as she guided him in the opposite direction he looked over his shoulder wondering how the hell he was going to get what he needed in time now….


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **

_"Charmed" and all related characters and events are the property of the WB television network, except for those characters specifically created for this story. This is a work of fan fiction and no infringement of copyright is intended._

**Author's Note:**

**Will Chris get to Wyatt in enough time; Will Piper be able to sleep with Bianca in the house at all; Will Leo and Paige ever find out what happened at the school and when will everyone's secrets be revealed? Read more and find out on this "episode" of ****Turning Bianca!**

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Chris was trapped in the hallway with his mother… no excuses and no way out. Wyatt was no doubt climbing the walls by now Chris figured and if he didn't get him a reversal spell soon the girls in Libby Hall would be covered in boils.

"Chris?" Piper was mid-grill outside her door.

"Yes. Sorry I spaced. I didn't hear what you said." If he fidgeted anymore he would look as guilty as a thief in the night.

"I said why were you heading to the attic? Are you alright?" Piper thought her son's late night odd behavior had something to do with Bianca sleeping a 100 feet away from his bedroom. She couldn't have been more off target this time.

"Oh, that… yeah, um… nothing, really. Mom everything is cool, never better. I just left a book up there earlier and I was going to get it to read until I went to sleep. Might as well put this insomnia to some use, right?" Chris started backing away in hopes that his mother was buying this bill of goods so he could get on with the business of saving 'Private' Wyatt.

Piper looked at him for a moment longer than usual, and decided to accept it as truth. She was actually too tired to poke holes in his story. Something didn't ring completely true, but with all that had gone on at the Manor tonight this bit of out of the ordinary wasn't worth questioning. Whatever it was he was hiding would surface sooner or later and hopefully it would be something she could handle.

"Okay sweetie, don't stay up too late though." She turned to her door and started to enter her bedroom and then turned back to her son saying, "no sleep walking or roaming the halls once I'm asleep." Entering her room Piper gently shut the door behind her.

That was a freaking close call thought Chris. His mom thought helping Bianca could kill him, but Chris was certain that helping his brother was what would do him in, in the long run.

Racing down the hall and back up the steps to the attic two at a time Chris directed all his focus and energy to the situation at Magic School. He flung open the door and went straight for the farthest bookshelf and grabbed his spell book, which had become a book of shadows addendum, and looked for any spell that could be modified into a reversal spell to get rid of plagues. Forty-five minutes later Chris closed the black-leather bound notebook and orbed out to Magic School to pull his brother's butt out of the fire.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Chris had reformed in Leo's office and found Wyatt, Holly, Noah, Spring and three other nameless students. Wyatt immediately got up and shepherded his brother out of the office where they could talk.

As soon as they were out of earshot Wyatt started in. "Any reason it took you so long?" He was annoyed and taking it out on Chris, which intellectually he knew was wrong, but he couldn't seem to control his emotions. He and Holly had been interrogating their 'honored' guest for more than an hour and these pranksters truly didn't grasp the severity of the situation. They had gotten the frogs contained. A cloaking spell managed to keep the locust confined and the poor girls afflicted with boils, well they were in the pool staying cool.

"I had to get around _your_ mother and Bianca. If I remember correctly the idea was not to let dad know about this little fiasco. Was I wrong?" Chris was a wee bit smug at this moment, but it quickly passed.

"Alright, what do we have to do? You did come up with something didn't you?" Pulling off the cover story would be difficult enough without the extra burden of having to deal with clearing up this mess.

"Have I ever failed a magical challenge?" Chris was extremely confident in this department. Wyatt was born with far superior active powers, but Chris was the crisis whiz kid. And next to his mom and Paige he was the best at potions and spells.

Wyatt reached over and grabbed at the light blue parchment in his brother's hand. He read it over and then dashed back into the office and dropped the list in Holly's hands. She took a second to process the action, the "company" and the spell.

"This looks like it might work," Holly said.

Chris took umbrage. "It might work… no it will work and if it doesn't, which isn't likely, it sure as heck won't be because me."

"I didn't mean…." Holly was cut off by Wyatt. He was exhausted and couldn't think of anything he'd rather do less than break up a battle between his brother and his "partner".

"Guys, not now okay. She's sorry and he's not offended can we move on now?"

"We have all of these things in the Potion Mixing class lab. And all of the culprits are here, so it's just a matter of mixing and chanting. We should be done and in bed in about an hour." Holly grabbed Spring's hand and led her out of the office. She was the older of the students and would be helpful in bringing all of this to a swift ending. The others shrunk down in their chairs as the office door closed and the brothers Halliwell directed a death stare toward them.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Holly was right, that was part of Wyatt's problem with the sparkling red head, she was always right. She and Spring got back to the office in little more than thirty minutes. They had stopped off in the dorms to pick up a frog, a locust, and a swollen girl from Libby Hall. Part of Chris' spell called for all of the items to be placed in a circle of new white candles. All of the spell casters and conjured items had to be present together in order for them to disappear in the same fashion. Everything and everyone was hauled into the great hall and Wyatt, Chris and Holly began casting the circle and preparing for the ritual. Chris kept thinking about the time. He had been away from the Manor for two hours now and if his mother hadn't checked on him he was sure at some point, once Melinda fell asleep, Bianca would sneak in for just a moment. He was really starting to wonder about the benefits of helping his brother.

"Chris does it matter the order we stand in and do we help with the chanting of the spell or not?" Holly wanted to make sure this thing was done perfectly, because like she had told Wyatt before his brother's return if this incident didn't go away without a trace she would have to come clean with Paige and Leo in the morning.

Thinking about where he'd rather be at this moment instead of the cold, dark, uninviting Hall Chris was taken out of his daze by Holly's question. He answered in a most succinct fashion. "Their magic created this mess and their magic has to clean it up."

"Alright you little deviants get over here and hold hands. Read the spell exactly the way it's written." Wyatt turned away from the motley crew and stood between his brother and Holly. Looking back at the students holding hands and waiting for the go ahead he added… "You better pray to the Goddess that this works!"

**Conjured here for no go reason**

**Run amok by student treason**

**Reverse these spells **

**Eradicate these plagues **

**Cease these yells**

**Make it all go away**

**Go away, go away, go away**

On each 'go away' a plague written on a slip of paper was burned by a student and placed in the cauldron. When the last one landed a swirling cloud of smoke rose and then immediately dissipated. The students dropped hands and when everyone looked in the circle surrounded by candles there stood one lone girl wrapped in a towel looking less than congenial. But she wasn't itching or on fire… her boils visibly gone. She remained still until all the candles were extinguished and the magical circle broken. As soon as she got the all clear she fled the great hall. The others stayed put waiting to be dismissed, the junior Halliwells were obviously in no mood to have their authority overlooked.

Holly was the first to address the group. "Ladies come along we're going to discuss you weekend plans and how much cleaning they're going to involve."

Spring and the two other girls followed Holly out with their heads hung down low.

The boys were next. Wyatt just looked at them with all of the disgust he could muster. "Just get out of my sight! Get that third floor back in order and I don't care if it takes the rest of the night. And no spells to do it!"

"Wow, way to channel dad." Chris had finally spoken up and was smirking at his brother.

"I know. Where the hell did that come from? If I wasn't the one who would go down for all of this I probably would find it funny. By the way that was a kick-ass spell and potion brother, good work." Wyatt flopped on the leather couch.

Chris sat next to him. "Glad you liked it. It'll be all I think about as I doze off in my morning Chemistry class. You owe me, big time. I'm thinking total use of the car this weekend and you have to be nice to Bianca."

"The car is yours I'll be here all weekend babysitting hooligans and studying. And as for Bianca, I was a jerk earlier, I got your back. As far as being nice is concerned it's all good until she gives us a reason to believe otherwise."

"And she won't." Chris stood back up preparing to leave.

"Whatever, I'm cool with it. Now you better get back before mom runs a bed check and nails us all to a wall." Wyatt stretched out on the couch covering Chris' spot with his long legs.

"You're not coming?"

"No, I have to make sure things here are in order and by the time I do dad will be up and moving and I don't want to deal with him. I'll be home when I'm sure he's here. Later bro." With that he closed his eyes and Chris orbed out.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Chris reformed in his bedroom and quickly changed out of his clothes. Leaving everything in a heap on the floor he knew it was a mess he'd deal with in the morning of hear about at dinner. His mother frequently reminded him that he was not living in a hotel with maid service. Walking toward the door Chris pressed his ear to it when he got close and when he heard silence he cracked it open and made his way to bathroom. He did not want another hallway exchange with Detective Piper.

At that exact moment the universe was conspiring to confirm his mother's suspicions. Piper heard the bathroom door close, as gentle as Chris had been. Getting up and grabbing her robe she headed to her door. At the same time, not being familiar with the sounds of the Manor, Bianca began to stir and decided to see if Chris was asleep. Listening for confirmation of her new roommates slumber she slid out of bed and headed for the door. As all three doors opened Chris found himself stuck between a Bianca and a hard place… Piper Halliwell.

Bianca was facing Chris' bedroom door as was Chris and Piper was facing them both.

"Going somewhere?"

"I thought I heard a noise. I'm just used to staying a far smaller environment." Bianca looked more afraid of Piper then of whatever it was she thought she heard.

"I didn't even know she was up." Chris threw his arms up in surrender. Piper looked at them both and didn't respond. Turning around she went back into her bedroom and closed the door. She would have to deal with this in the morning after a long talk with Leo.

Chris went to hug Bianca and then they both went into their respective rooms. Just because Piper hadn't screamed and thrown a fit in that moment Bianca and Chris knew better than to push their luck. Bianca dozed back off easily and settled in listening to the sound of Melinda's breathing. Chris too fell asleep quickly, but his was less peaceful.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

He woke up in a cold sweat and couldn't make heads or tails out of the nightmare. This had been going on for weeks and he was starting to wish he never had to close his eyes again. He wanted to run into his parent's bedroom like he did when he was a kid and crawl into bed between them just to feel safe. But Chris knew he couldn't do that. Something had to give though because with all that was going on he couldn't afford to be off his game. If he didn't find out what was causing them or how to deal with them he would have to divulge the situation to his mother and pray that she had the answers.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **

_"Charmed" and all related characters and events are the property of the WB television network, except for those characters specifically created for this story. This is a work of fan fiction and no infringement of copyright is intended._

**Author's Note:**

**Chris has been having nightmares for over a week now and nothing he's tried has worked to make them disappear. His sleep deprivation will show up in some funny and unkind ways. Wyatt will be keeping his own secrets from his parents until Melinda discovers several of his truths. Finally, when Bianca gets her things and settles into the Manor her and Piper will have that talk they've both dreaded. Read more and see secrets revealed on this "episode" of ****Turning Bianca!**

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Melinda woke up only to realize she was already late. She could have sworn she set her alarm, but here it was 7:00 and she needed to be at an early practice. Great now she would have to share the practice room at school which made her cranky because some of her orchestra contemporaries didn't take rehearsal serious enough for Melinda. Actually most people didn't take anything as serious as Melinda thought they should. She hated being in a house with only a bath and a half and now with an extra person she did not feel confident about getting out of the Manor anytime soon.

She grabbed her robe and walked into the hallway and was immediately struck by the calm and quiet. It didn't seem like anyone was up at all. This was odd because her mother was usually up before everyone and Wyatt and her dad always had coffee and talked about Magic School happenings before they traded off from night shift to day shift. Whatever, she thought as she slipped into the bathroom locking both doors into the room and turning on the hot water.

What she hadn't realized was that Leo and Piper were snuggled up talking about Chris and Bianca and Wyatt hadn't ever come home. And Chris, not having slept much at all was still sprawled out downstairs on the couch in front of the television. He had gone down to pop in a movie and once he'd gotten through the second full length feature and the sun started to come up he had finally slipped into a fit-less slumber.

When Bianca turned over she noticed Mel wasn't in bed and that it was still too early for her to be up. She thought she would sneak off to Chris' room, but did not want to run the risk of meeting Piper in the hallway again. She thought about shimmering, but if any of her relatives sensed her magic being used it could foil her plans before they got started. So, she stayed put and stared at the ceiling. Talk about odd. She was used to her apartment being quiet but she assumed a house with so many people would be bustling all the time. The quiet was a little disconcerting.

The door swung open and Melinda barreled in with her hair dripping water across the floor. "You mean to tell me you didn't take this opportunity to slink off to my brother's room. Smart move since I haven't seen my mom yet and who knows what doorway or hallway she'll come popping out of if she thinks you're trying get some early morning booty."

Bianca sat straight up in the bed and looked at her junior hostess in disbelief.

"Spare me the shocked look I'm 15 not 5. Look if you want a hot shower and not a lukewarm one I suggest you put your pout in gear and get in there before one of the oafs wakes up."

Bianca was awed but did start moving then she stopped cold because she realized she didn't have a thing to her name in this house. Melinda took note of her confusion and helped to fill in the blanks.

"There's an extra robe in the closet and you can borrow whatever fits you best. I'll be gone hopefully by the time you come out. As long as someone with a license is up to take me to school. Oh, and anything else you need is in the bathroom." With that Mel went into her closet and grabbed a pair of cargo pants and then realized she didn't have a shirt clean that matched. So off to her brother's room she went.

She had on pants and a tank top and marched across the hall in bare feet. Standing outside of the door she knocked with her hand on the doorknob. Once more for good measure she thought and then she crept in and headed for Chris' drawers. Wyatt was so tall that all of his shirts swam on her, but Chris' fit just right. Mel wasn't into showing off her body and liked the way boys clothes hung on her better. Her mother wasn't crazy about the look and wouldn't finance it, so she resorted to sibling thievery.

"Holy crap on a stick," she shouted when she looked up. Wyatt had orbed in behind her while she was bent down rifling through shirts. "What are you doing sneaking in the house like this?"

"Quiet. It's because I don't need the whole house up. Where's dad?" Wyatt didn't much care what Mel was doing in his bedroom. He figured that would be between her and Chris. His biggest concern was dodging Leo. He'd deal with Magic School issues tonight. Right now he had to deal with regular school issues and if he missed one more lab or project he'd be redoing this semester without question.

"I'm the only one awake, besides or new houseguest. Again, what are you doing sneaking in the house?" Melinda picked out the long sleeve t-shirt she wanted and pulled it over her head waiting for an answer.

Wyatt would only indulge this questioning from his baby sister for as long as it would take to get what he needed and get out of the Manor undetected. "Look I have an early lab and I had to bail Magic School before my 'dad-debriefing'. If he asks you haven't seen me." With that he kissed her on top of the head, which she hated and found condescending, and orbed back out. Whatever she thought, that would be between him and dad. She slipped back out of the room and was pleased to hear movement downstairs. Her only hope was that Chris was already gone. The shower was still running which meant Bianca was still in there or more people were up then there was ten minutes before.

Melinda rushed downstairs and did the whole stop, look and listen routine. She just needed to get pass Chris and she was home free. She bee-lined it to the kitchen and found her mother in the passionate throes of breakfast preparation.

"Good morning baby," Piper offered up a very cheerful greeting. Oddly enough she was in a better mood. Her talk with Leo had eased her mind, slightly and for the time being. He reminded and reassured her that in this time Bianca was neutral where magic was concerned. That until she used her powers for a definitive action for or against good all they had were suspicsions. And forcing Chris to make a decision would only make him hold on to her even tighter. So, for now she was going to ride the situation out.

Just as Melinda was guzzling down a large glass of grapefruit juice and waving a pleasant 'morning mom to Piper, Leo was coming in on a mission.

"Has anyone seen Wyatt? I've checked upstairs and called for him and he's not responding."

Piper stopped stirring to make eye contact with her husband. "Can you sense him? Is he danger?"

"No honey, nothing like that. I can sense him, but he's just choosing not to respond."

Without breaking her brother's trust Melinda offered up her unsolicited opinion. "He probably just had an early lab or class. Dad I really need a ride to school. I should have put in an extra 45-minutes of practice time and now I'll be lucky if I get in 25-minutes of so-so time."

"Melinda, when you're going to need an early ride you're supposed to make plans with us in advance. What if I couldn't drop everything?"

Leo knew this was a pointless lecture as his daughter, an exact duplicate of the love of his life, looked at him with pleading chocolate kiss eyes. She reached over and tossed him the keys to his antique car that no one was allowed to drive. She didn't love riding in it, but it beat the "cheese" bus any day.

As they were about to cross through the back door a motion stopping, hair standing yell came from the living room.

"NO!!!! Dad, please help!"

Leo immediately orbed out and Piper and Melinda followed. They crossed Bianca running down the stairs in her borrowed robe with her hair wrapped in a towel. When they got to the room Chris was sitting straight up staring ahead. Sweat dripped from his brow and he was shaking like a cold chill ran up and down his spine, even though there wasn't even a breeze in the room. Chris began slowly rocking back and forth and then leaned all the way back into the sofa cushions. Leo knelt down and started to call out to him gently while attempting to make physical contact. Piper got a sinking feeling as Chris came out of it and his eyes started to focus in on the people in the room. As he turned around all eyes followed his, and too, fell on Bianca. Not an utterance was made, but deep inside Piper knew they were balancing on quicksand and that having this girl in the house was a disaster waiting to happen.

Bianca wore a classic deer caught in the headlights look and wanted to break everyone's gaze but stood rooted in her spot. Leo finally spoke and shifted the focus back onto the Chris.

"Son, what's wrong? You were screaming out for my help."

Slowly he straightened up and rotated his neck attempting to work out the stiffness. He was taking extra time trying to formulate his answer so he wouldn't freak anyone out or say something he shouldn't. "I'm not sure. Maybe it was some sort of nightmare. I did fall asleep down here watching a crazy spy flick. Didn't mean to freak ya'll out. I'm good, really I'm okay."

"Great, he's okay. I'm down to 20 minutes of practice now. Any longer and I'll have to practice in the hall on the way to first period." Melinda went through the archway past the parlor and back toward the kitchen where she had left her things."

Upon her exit Chris noticed his orange t-shirt and screamed after her, "I expect it washed, ironed and put back where you got it!"

Realizing that things were normal with her son again she suggested Bianca go and get dressed so she could be ready when Leo got back from taking Melinda. Leo shot up and started to dash off behind his daughter, least she think driving herself was a good idea. He gave Chris a backward glance and then doubled back for a quick kiss from his wife. Bianca took off up the stairs to see what she could pilfer from Melinda's closet. Piper sat on the couch next to her baby boy and just waited for him to say something. Chris knew what she was doing, but wasn't interested in throwing her a communication bone.

"So, how long are we going to do this? You were reacting to something bigger then a nightmare over some movie. What's going on?"

"You worry too much. It's nothing, really. No more spy flicks and late snacks for me." He got up and walked out of the room and headed for the kitchen. Piper hated trailing behind her sons, because her legs and steps were considerably shorter. He started picking at things fully or half done and poured some juice to wash it all down.

Piper stood in the doorway staring. "If you stop picking I might just make a full plate. That is unless you want to tell me about your nightmare."

Chris snatched a section of the newspaper off of the counter and shoved sausage link in his mouth so that shaking his head no to his mother's question was the only response he could give. Piper bore her eyes at him and even though he could feel the penetration he refused to look over the paper to make eye contact. So she continued fixing a plate for him and flipping pancakes as Bianca entered the kitchen with damp hair that cascaded far to seductively down her back; wearing a denim skirt and peasant shirt of Melinda's (both of which fit a smidge to close). Her feet were bare for the time being.

"Good morning Piper," Chris dropped the newspaper and met his freshly showered and very hot girlfriend before she could get to him. He planted a kiss square on her mouth that made both his mother and Bianca blush a little. She pushed him back from her about 2-feet to increase everyone's comfort level. Then she cut him a look that read as very reproachful. Chris backed up and took his seat, closest to the backdoor, again. Piper never looked up, but out of the corner of her eye watched Bianca handle her son in a fashion not unlike one she herself would use.

"Bianca would you like something to eat? Leo won't be back for about another twenty minutes or so. Then you two will head to your place and pick your things up. Now you're sure your mother won't be a problem?"

"My God mom what the hell do you expect her say. She knows what her mother is and she doesn't need you rubbing it in or reminding her." Both Piper and Bianca glowered at Chris. Bianca was the first to speak though.

"Chris I don't think your mom meant anything by that. It was just a question." She was very uncomfortable.

Bianca may have been uncomfortable, but Piper was ticked off. "Chris I know you're tired and we're all short on patience, but I'm still your mother. Don't speak to me that way."

Catching himself Chris back pedaled and tried to ease things with his mom. "I'm sorry. And I know you didn't mean anything by it I'm just wound up." He got up and kissed his mom on the cheek before sitting back down.


End file.
